1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to manufacture of package filler material; and, more particularly, to a traction control system for expanding and deploying compact tightly wound paper with die cut slits suited for expansion and deployment of packaging material that cushions articles in a shipping package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous prior art patents and disclosures relate to delivering paper from cylindrical packages and cutting the papers into sheets of specific sizes. These paper rolls may be cut with slits and the paper product is expanded to a form suited for use as a packaging material. Paper is not delivered from the cylindrical paper package and is immediately used in small selected sizes to wrap packages.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,548,789 to Lorenz discloses a paper crinkling machine. The paper is crinkled during passage through a narrow throat formed by a sharpened blade or spring loaded roll. The constriction at the throat crinkles the paper due to the blockage at the throat and the delivery belt 23 delivers the crinkled paper. The paper used is not cut with slits. Since the machine is power driven, the delivery of the crinkled paper is continuous and is not limited to the length requirements for a specific packaging operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,550,084 to Lorenz discloses paper crinkling machine. The paper is crinkled during passage through a pair of rolls having matching ribs and grooves. The paper used is not cut with slits. Since the machine is power driven, the delivery of the crinkled paper is continuous and is not limited in accordance with the length needs for a particular packaging operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,169 to Walton, et al. discloses web processing by longitudinal compression using a matched drive disk and retarding fingers. The paper is crinkled during passing through a pair of rolls having matching ribs and grooves. The paper used is not cut with slits. Since the machine is power driven, the delivery of the crinkled paper is continuous and is not restricted in accordance with the length needs for a specific packaging operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,118 to Gass discloses manufacture of filling material for hollow spaces. A foil strip is at first continuously provided with intermittent longitudinal cuts and subsequently stretched in a vertical direction. A cutting device consists of two reciprocal rollers with cutting edges that are intermittently arranged in the circumferential direction. The cutting device produces longitudinal cuts, while a stretching unit vertically stretches the cut strips of foil. A drive is provided, together with a feed and removal unit. The strip used is a metallic strip, not a paper strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,461 to Van-Ocker discloses a label printing and dispensing apparatus. A label printer and dispenser web transport system includes a motor driven platen and a print head resiliently directed against the platen between which an ink foil and label web are passed. The web travels over a triangular peeler bar disposed closely adjacent the platen and is then returned to the platen for passage between the platen and a spring biased idler roll, deformably engaging the platen to maintain web tension over the peeler bar. The print head is pivotally mounted and is moved out of engagement with the platen when the print head is not printing. The ink foil is not advanced when the print head is moved away from the platen. The labels are precut objects and the sheet carrying the labels is driven by rollers and passed over a sharp edge to peel the labels. The sheet has no cut slits and is not expanded.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,871 to Goodrich, et al. discloses slit sheet packing material. A filling material for use in filling hollow spaces in packaging or the like comprises one or more pieces of flexible paper material. The paper material has a plurality of individual slits formed in parallel spaced rows extending transversely from one end of the paper material to the opposing end of the paper material. The slits in adjacent alternate rows are positioned adjacent the interval space between adjacent slits in the adjacent parallel row of slits. The flexible paper material is expanded by extending the opposing ends of the paper material, which are parallel to the rows of slits whereby the slits form an array of openings, each opening being generally hexagonal in shape and of the same size. The length and width of the flexible filling paper material can be varied. The construction of the flexible paper filling material permits it to be easily stored in the non-expandable position and easily expanded for use in filling hollow spaces in packaging. As shown in FIG. 2, precut sheets are stacked and expanded prior to use in a packaging application. The sheets are not delivered from a continuous roll. Pulling of a sheet forms the expanded configuration, tearing the sheet according to desired lengths of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,075 to Kao, et al. et al. discloses a tension activatable substrate that is a dual intensive property tissue. The tissue has a first set of intensive properties including density, surface area, thickness and void volume as presented to the consumer. The consumer plastically activates the tissue by pulling it in tension. A series of slits 44 or other lines of weakness elongate in a direction parallel to the line of tension, allowing the tissue to achieve a second state of intensive properties. The value of the second state of intensive properties is different after activation. The change in value of the intensive properties allows for economies in shipping, where a higher density product is shipped to the consumer. At the point of use, the consumer activates the product to achieve the increase surface area and lower density. The increase in surface area and concomitant decrease in density provides for increased efficacy in cleaning. The plastically activatable state may be provided by a series of slits 44 or other lines of weakness in the tissue. The tissue may comprise cellulosic and/or synthetic fibers. The tissue may be used as a facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towel, napkin, body wipe, mophead, etc. Activation is triggered by applying tension to the flat sheet, which is presented in the first state. The activated expanded second sheet is not presented to the customer in a condition that is ready for packaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,486,507 to De Luca et al. discloses an expandable foam sheet that locks in the expanded configuration. This mechanically expandable foam sheet comprises a plurality of discrete slits therein that allow the foam sheet to be expanded from an unexpanded foam sheet configuration to an expanded foam sheet configuration. The expandable foam sheet has a density of from 14 g/liter to 48 g/liter in the unexpanded configuration and a thickness of from 6 mm to 50 mm. The slits are of a kind and of a size and arrangement that the expanded foam sheet locks into the expanded configuration by exhibiting a pressure-to-close of at least 5 gm/cm2. Each of the slits provides only a single free volume in the expanded foam sheet. An expandable foam sheet having serpentine-shaped expansion and locking arms is also indicated, as are various cushioning articles comprising an expanded foam sheet. This foam sheet is not a paper product with slits that is expandable.
Based on the foregoing, there exists a need in the art for a compact machine that readily accepts a roll of paper with pre cut slit shapes adapted to expand and create a three dimensional packaging product. It would be particularly desirable if the machine was equipped with means for gently delivering the paper with slits without undue stretching of the paper. It would also be desirable if the paper was designed to expand to the three dimensional shape when the user pulled out the paper from the machine. Such a machine would be highly advantageous in that tearing the expanded paper product at desired lengths would efficiently and reliably produce a filler material that facilitated packaging of delicate articles during shipping.